<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=04W10f_0t58UkVB00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=04W10f_0t58UkVB00" width="2000" height="1680" ><figcaption>Sophomore Harmoni Carter leads Mountain Island Charter in goals. /Michelle T. Bernard</figcaption></figure>MT. HOLLY – It’s been a gradual climb back into state championship contention for the Mountain Island Charter girls soccer program. Even so, the Raptors have arrived a year ahead of schedule, securing the No. 1 seed in the West bracket of the 1A state playoffs. “This is kind of unexpected,” head coach Darren Johnson said. “I knew we were going to be good, but I didn’t think we were going to be this good. My expectation was that next year would be the year because I’ve got another strong class of freshmen coming. Hopefully we’re going to be on the map for a little while.”The road backMountain Island Charter has enjoyed success in the not-so-distant past under Johnson’s leadership, advancing to the state semifinals in 2019 before losing to the eventual state champions. Nearly the entire team was set to return for the following season, but the COVID-19 pandemic struck at the outset of the 2020 campaign, dashing the Raptors’ hopes of competing for a state championship. “For this group of seniors, their first season was the return from COVID in 2021,” Johnson said. “We went right into rebuilding mode and these seniors were part of that. I’m just so happy that they stuck it out and now here’s four years of hard work paying off.”The condensed 2021 season necessitated that teams only play opponents within their respective conferences. With the Catawba Shores 1A/2A being among the most competitive leagues in the state, the Raptors finished the season with a record of 5-7-1. The 2022 season proved even more difficult, with Mountain Island Charter still managing just five wins despite playing a more robust schedule. Their fortunes shifted abruptly, however, as the Raptors rattled off a 17-5 record last season and won two playoff games before falling to the eventual state champions in Christ the King. That momentum has carried over into this season, with Mountain Island Charter surpassing Christ the King in the Catawba Shores standings and earning their first-ever victory versus Pine Lake Prep, which may be the top 2A team in the state. “I think the way my time here started has made me so much more appreciative for this season,” senior captain Hope Barwick said. “I think it’s so special because we weren’t expecting this. Our whole team is just grateful because we’ve been doubted for so long and we’re so excited for where we’re at right now.” Dominant defenseBarwick and sophomore co-captain Rylan Breath have been pivotal to Mountain Island Charter’s success, anchoring a back line of defense that has helped hold 11 different opponents scoreless this season. In total, the Raptors have only surrendered 12 goals in 19 games.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4EtyF6_0t58UkVB00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4EtyF6_0t58UkVB00" width="1481" height="2000" ><figcaption>Sophomore co-captain Rylan Breath has been pivotal to Mountain Island Charter’s success this season. /Michelle T. Bernard</figcaption></figure>“I can’t ask for anything better than what they’ve done in the back,” Johnson said of his two captains. “It starts with their communication because we’ve dealt with some injuries at the other two positions on the back line. They’ve been the mainstays and they’re a big reason for all of the shutouts.”Young starsWhile Barwick and Breath help defend the Mountain Island Charter goal, the Raptors boast a number of talented underclassmen who apply pressure on the opposing goal. The team’s top three goal scorers are all sophomores and freshman Mia Lohr, who ranks fourth on the team in goals and second in assists, has provided a connective piece that helps the offense hum.“Their speed has been a huge difference maker,” Barwick said of the young guns on the attack. “But it’s also their ambition to go get the ball. We’re always sending through balls up there and they’re always running onto them. Coming from middle school to high school, I think they realize what a huge opportunity this is and they’re taking advantage of it.”Harmoni Carter leads the team with 23 goals, while Cheyenne Painter has set the pace with 33 assists. Classmate Eden Lewis has played a key role as well, tallying 18 goals and 13 assists. “Sometimes you’ll see little cliques developing with the upperclassmen and then another with the underclassmen, but that’s nonexistent on this team this year,” Johnson said. “Our younger girls look up to the upperclassmen and our upperclassmen know that these younger players are really good, so they feed off of them as well.”Breath echoed those sentiments, crediting the team’s camaraderie for the success they’ve enjoyed this season.“We’re playing as a team,” she said. “Before we played very individually, but now it’s like we’re playing for each other. As underclassmen, we’re playing for our seniors. We want to finish with a ring and we want them to finish high school on a strong note. That’s our goal.”The Raptors (16-3) opened the 1A state playoffs with an 11-0 victory versus Carolina International out of Concord on May 13. Nine different players scored in the contest, including Barwick and Breath, with Carter and Lewis notching two goals apiece and Lohr recording five assists. Mountain Island Charter will play its next game on Thursday, May 16, versus No. 16 Highland Tech.</div></body>

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Top-seeded Raptors relishing opportunity after post-COVID rebuild

MT. HOLLY – It’s been a gradual climb back into state championship contention for the Mountain Island Charter girls soccer program. Even so, the Raptors have arrived a year ahead of schedule, securing the No. 1 seed in the West bracket of the 1A state playoffs. “This is...

Top-seeded Raptors relishing opportunity after post-COVID rebuild

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